Table of Contents

Introduction

In 2001, there were an estimated 1.5 million people in Ontario
with self-disclosed disabilities. This number is expected to
increase as the population ages.

In December 2001, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act,
2001 (ODA) was passed into law. Its purpose is to improve
opportunities for people with disabilities and to provide for
their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention
of barriers to their full participation in the life of the
province.

One of the requirements under the ODA is that Ontario
government ministries, municipalities, hospitals, school boards,
colleges, universities, and public transportation organizations
develop annual accessibility plans to make programs, services and
buildings more accessible to people with disabilities. The plans
must be made available to the public.

In the Speech from the Throne, delivered on November 20, 2003,
the Ontario Government confirmed its commitment to working with
Ontarians with disabilities on meaningful legislation that will
allow them to fully participate in building a stronger
province.

This document is the first annual accessibility plan for the
Ministry of the Attorney General. The plan describes improvements
to accessibility that the ministry has made to date and its
commitments for the balance of the 2003-2004 fiscal year.

Report on
Achievements

While there have been strides towards increasing the
accessibility of ministry/secretariat services, the greatest
emphasis has been on improving the accessibility of buildings and
facilities, especially courthouses.

With more than two hundred and fifty locations across the
province, the Ministry of the Attorney General has been
continually updating and improving existing facilities to remove
barriers, and has developed architectural guidelines for court
house planning to ensure that new construction is
barrier-free.

Buildings Structures and Premises

In 2003, the Law Library, located at the head office of the
Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG), was constructed to
Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) barrier-free guidelines,
including a ramp in the front lobby, with full consultation
with people with disabilities.

MAG Emergency Evacuation Procedures include procedures for
employees who need special assistance. Procedures are posted on
the ministry intranet site.

Goods and Services

In the 2002-03 Business Plan, all business areas were
informed about accessibility requirements. All proposals were
assessed for accessibility/disability impacts, and inclusion of
accommodation information.

Senior ministry/secretariat management and all other
relevant staff have been advised of the need to consider
accessibility issues in the acquisition of all goods and
services.

TTY service for persons who are hearing impaired or deaf is
provided through a dedicated central line.

Providing information to various community groups has
increased community awareness of the rights of persons who are
blind to bring guide dogs into establishments under Blind
Persons' Rights Act.

The identification card issued under the Blind Persons'
Rights Act was improved by including braille telephone
numbers to call if a guide dog is not allowed to enter an
establishment.

Internet Sites and Publications

Ministry/secretariat Internet sites have been updated to
make them accessible to people with disabilities as required
under section 6 of the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act. The sites comply with the internationally recognized
Priority One and Two accessibility standards developed by the
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and their Web Accessibility
Initiative (WAI). The websites were completely recoded and
modifications were made to incorporate compatibility with text
reader technology, ease of navigation for people who rely on
alternative pointing devices, graphics supported by alternate
text, high contrast colours and colour schemes to accommodate
persons who are visually impaired or colour blind and a
fully-proportional site that allows users to enlarge or shrink
font sizes.

Procedures are in place to provide ministry publications in
accessible formats, upon request.

Employees

Procedures are in place to ensure that employees and job
applicants receive accommodation as required.

Accommodation has been provided for a number of employees
through the government’s Employment Accommodation Fund
for People with Disabilities. These include workstation
modifications to address mobility issues, IT equipment and
technical aids for employees with visual and hearing
impairments, building modifications to address
dexterity/mobility limitations, job coaching and the provision
of attendant care.

Ergonomic assessments are provided to staff upon request
from managers. Information is maintained on the intranet site
outlining the availability of this service.

One hundred and seventy five managers have completed
training to increase their understanding of the
Government’s obligations to accommodate the accessibility
needs of its employees and job applicants who have
disabilities.

Government-Funded Capital Programs

The ministry incorporated ORC barrier-free guidelines into
its Province of Ontario Architectural Design Standards for
Court Houses in 1999.

The ministry addresses the need for accessibility expertise
at the onset of planning for capital construction.

The ORC, as the ministry’s mandated service provider,
addresses accessibility issues at all major courthouse
construction projects, to ensure compliance with the Ontario
Building Code and the ORC barrier-free guidelines (e.g. the
planned Brockville Courthouse meets current barrier-free design
guidelines).

Consolidated courthouse construction projects undertaken in
recent years (e.g. Owen Sound, Chatham,Windsor, Brampton
courthouses) have complied with the Ontario Building Code and
the ORC barrier-free guidelines. The construction of a
dedicated fully accessible courtroom in the Hamilton Courthouse
exceeded existing regulations and guidelines.

Major court house renovation and relocation projects such
as Newmarket and 2201 Finch Avenue West in Toronto also
complied with the barrier-free design guidelines.

The ministry incorporates accessibility as a component of
its annual Capital Plan.

Ministry/Secretariat Accessibility Plan

The ministry/secretariat established an Accessibility
Planning Working Group to prepare the 2003-2004 Accessibility
Plan. This working group will have an ongoing role in the
development of Accessibility Plans in future years.

Three members of the Accessibility Planning Working Group
participated in ODA training provided by the Accessibility
Directorate.

Commitments and
Strategies for 2003-2004

In its commitments and strategies, the ministry/secretariats
will continue to place an emphasis on providing improved
accessibility in its buildings and facilities, especially
courthouses. This includes an ongoing strategy of updating
existing facilities to remove barriers and the establishment of
practices and procedures that will ensure barrier-free
construction in new facilities. As new guidelines are made
available for barrier-free design, they will be incorporated into
ministry/secretariat standards and practices.

Methods to be used to
prevent new barriers

The Ministry of the Attorney General will undertake the
following activities to ensure that proposals for new acts,
regulations, policies, programs and services are assessed with
respect to their effect on people with disabilities:

Conduct an assessment to address accessibility requirements
within operating proposals put forward in the 2004-2005
business planning submissions.

Post Accessibility Plans on the ministry/secretariats
Internet and intranet sites in an accessible format.

Include Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA)
training as a requirement in new learning plans for ministry
managers.

Include ODA information in the employee orientation program
on the ministry’s intranet site.

Business areas to be
reviewed

Acts and Regulations

For acts or regulations currently under review or going
forward, ensure that issues of accessibility and barrier removal
to people and programs are included in the review process.

Policies and Programs

Architectural Design Standards for Courthouses

Review the Province of Ontario Architectural Design
Standards for Courthouses to ensure continued compliance with
existing and new government guidelines for accessibility.

Recruitment Policies

Review processes for employment competitions to identify areas
for improvement in quality of service and accommodation for
people with disabilities as part of existing government
accommodations requirements.

Practices and Services

Human Resources Plan

Ensure that the ministry’s new Human Resources Plan is
consistent with the requirements of the Ontarians with
Disabilities Act.

Actions to be taken

Barrier Identification and Prevention

The New Lease Project Requirements survey will be updated to
incorporate accessibility concerns. Therefore, each time a lease
renewal/new lease is reviewed, accessibility requirements will be
considered and communicated to ORC.

Minor capital repair and rehabilitation projects will include
a survey in the planning process to ensure accessibility concerns
are addressed.

Once received, revised ORC guidelines will be clearly
communicated within the ministry.

Ministry/secretariat program managers and supervisors will be
given guidance on accessibility in all procurement activities, as
required under section 5 of the ODA. All staff with
responsibility for procurement will receive the "Guidelines for
Implementing the Procurement Provisions of the Ontarians with
Disabilities Act", once distributed by Management Board
Secretariat.

The online training program for ODA will be included as a
requirement in all future learning plans for ministry/secretariat
managers.

Training on accommodating the accessibility needs of employees
and job applicants who have disabilities will be made available
to all new managers.

Improved accessibility in communications

The ministry/secretariats will research and identify
appropriate training program for receptionist/public inquiry
staff and others working directly with the public, so that staff
understand the full scope of the definition of
‘disability’ and ‘barriers to
accessibility’ as defined under the ODA.

Information on procedures for responding to requests for
publications in accessible formats will be made available to
ministry/secretariat staff through the intranet site.

Improved accessibility of facilities

All new construction/planning will continue to comply with the
Ontario Building Code and address all ORC guidelines for
accessibility.

The ministry’s Province of Ontario Architectural
Design Standards for Court Houses will be revised to include
any new accessibility guidelines issued by the government.

The ministry will continue to incorporate accessibility as a
component of its annual Capital Plan.

Improved accessibility in technology

All new material posted to the ministry/secretariat’s
Internet site will continue to be accessible by people with
disabilities and conforms to Priority One and Two accessibility
standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and
their Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

Information on how to use the ministry/secretariat’s TTY
phone line and how the number is provided/advertised to the
public will be made available to ministry/secretariat staff
through the intranet site.

For more
information

Questions or comments about the ministry’s accessibility
plan are always welcome.

Visit the Ministry of Citizenship’s Accessibility
Ontario web portal at: www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/accessibility.
The site promotes accessibility and provides information and
resources on how to make Ontario a barrier-free province.

Alternate formats of this document are available free upon
request from: